Outreach to Flood Victims

December 17, 2011, 1:30 in the morning, typhoon Sendong (WASHI) brought flash floods to our region (Northern Mindanao) that killed more than 1,000 people, injured close to 2,000 and left more than 1,000 missing. According to official government data, the floods affected 102,899 families or 674,472 people in 766 villages in 52 towns and eight cities in 13 provinces. Of these, 13,090 families or 48,980 people are in 45 evacuation centers. There was no electricity, water and food in most areas.

From day 1, we have done our best to obey God’s will to serve the destitute and suffering. Three families have been evacuated and stayed in our house.

1. We continue to help the Famas family in cleaning and moving their things, and in relocating them to a new apartment, where they can stay temporarily. (Presently, they are still staying in our house.) We will also help them develop a structural plan and apply for a building permit. We are still praying and studying how we are to help them build their new home.

2. The Galleros family returned to their old home before the new year. It was not a safe move, especially because of the disease outbreak in our city, but we couldn’t stop them. We continue to give them food and used clothes. We also continue to counsel and encourage them to move to an apartment for 6 months (we will pay for the rent) while we build a structure where they can live for 3 years.

3. We continue to visit, counsel, serve and help the Corporal children (both their parents work abroad) to relocate to a new apartment.

Aside from these three families, we visited and served 11 families from the slums of Isla de Oro, the worst hit community where dozens of people lost their lives . We gave relief goods and prophylactic medicines for all of them. We also plan to give school supplies for their children.

Last Sunday, we expanded the number of families that we serve. We gave prophylactic capsules to 200 persons in the biggest evacuation center in our city. Two hundred more persons in that center and hundreds more in other areas urgently need medical treatment and protection. Please pray as we raise funds and buy medicines for as many people as finances, time and strength would allow us.

We also plan to give school supplies to 300 children who lost all their belongings during the flood.

To serve them all, especially in counseling and personal ministry, we will need to hire 2 additional church workers. Please pray as we recruit, screen and train new workers.

For more information about our short-, mid- and long-term relief and rehabilitation outreaches to flood victims, please visit our church website: